Grasping the Nature of Thought

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Pure Land Buddhism: Theory and Practice

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Introduction It is easy to critique Pure Land Buddhism in its current modus operandi. I do it myself. It’s an easy target because of its façade of superstition and magic, religious overtones and seemingly exotic teachings with its dependence on the “one true Buddha”. They really don’t say, “one true Buddha”, I sort of made that up myself. And it does seem sort of odd to walk into a Buddhist temple to find a very Protestant Christian looking and sounding service. But not all Pure Land schools operate the same way. Some are very “protestant like” and others are very traditional. It depends on which school is hosting the service.       Recently while presenting a talk on the Buddhist Doctrine of Mind at the Jung Center of Chicago a member of the audience came to me and said she had been studying Buddhism for 10 years and just could not understand the Pure Land Buddhists because they thought they could be saved by simply chanting “Amitabha Buddha” over and over aga...
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The Protection Wheel of Vajra Armor

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"As I explore the wilderness of my own body, I see I Am made of blood and bones, sunlight and water, pesticide and redwood humus, the fear and dreams of generations of ancestors, particles of exploded stars” I don’t now who actually said this but the quote is found on Pinterest in a dozen or so places. It is a wonderful “mantra” to use when reminding ourselves that our body is not who we are. Not are we our mind.   According to the Buddha, self is not truth. He declared," Where self is, truth is not. Where truth is, self is not. Self is the fleeting error of samsara; it is individual separateness and that egotism which begets envy and hatred." He defined self as "that yearning which seeks pleasure and lusts after vanity where as Truth is the correct comprehension of things, which is the permanent and everlasting, the real in all existence and the bliss of righteousness." The very existence of self is an illusion,. It is the Self, which through...
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Taking Responsibility for the Mind: When Meditation Gets Difficult

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Artist — Lim Chung Hee When we sit in meditation, thoughts arise. That’s not a problem—it’s natural. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations are the raw material of our practice. They are not interruptions; they are the very field in which mindfulness and insight develop. Often, a practitioner has a session that feels clear, balanced, even luminous. There may be a sense of accomplishment, ease, or emotional release. Then, perhaps the very next day, the mind shifts. A wave of negative emotions appears—anger, jealousy, anxiety, irritation, or despair. The contrast can be jarring:  “Yesterday I was calm. Today I feel poisoned.” And then comes the fork in the path. The Habitual Move: Projection For many, the default response is projection. Instead of meeting these inner states directly, we unconsciously look outward for a cause. The discomfort is disowned and relocated onto someone or something else:  “It’s because of her.” “He made me feel this way.” “They are the problem.” This is no...
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